


There Must Be Some Kind of Way Out of Here

by rumbleroarsslumberingcubs



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Leonard Snart Lives, M/M, Protective Leonard Snart, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:42:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29387181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumbleroarsslumberingcubs/pseuds/rumbleroarsslumberingcubs
Summary: He shouldn’t have been surprised considering Nate had already filled him in on what to expect. Also, it wasn’t exactly the first time his partner had done something like this.But still, when he saw Mick’s eyes staring blankly as a flame burned his skin, Leonard Snart felt his stomach drop.The Vietnam episode, but this time, Snart's alive.
Relationships: Mick Rory/Leonard Snart
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	There Must Be Some Kind of Way Out of Here

**Author's Note:**

> While rewatching the Vietnam episode where Mick meets his dad, I couldn't help but wonder how things would have been different with Snart alive. Well, here's my take! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> TW: Non-graphic mentions of child/domestic abuse and self-harm.

“Mick’s, um, this is going to sound insane, but he’s burning his own skin,” Nate informed a little breathlessly with a disturbed look on his face, “I-I don’t know why, but he’s totally out of it.”

The rest of the team remained silent over the comms, obviously expecting Snart to handle the situation.

He would have been pissed at their lack of initiative, but he knew that none of those twitchy little do-gooders would have any idea how to help.

Even if they did, their so-called “help” would most likely ruin everything.

They had never seen trauma like Mick had, didn’t grow up in toxic homes like the both of them had, didn’t understand mental illness like they did.

All in all, the Legends were basically useless. 

Besides, Snart had spent almost a lifetime trying to understand Mick’s mind, to understand his weaknesses as well as his strengths.

There was no better time to use that knowledge than the present.

“Don’t all jump at once,” Leonard snapped, and he could practically see Ray’s guilty flinch and hear Sara lecturing him about saving his insults for a better, more convenient time.

He rolled his eyes and huffed, frustrated by the team’s utter lack of understanding, or even the desire to understand.

Mick wasn’t _insane_ ; he was hurting.

“I’m going,” Snart grumbled, scowling as he trekked through the mud in the direction Nate had indicated.

Then, he saw Mick.

He shouldn’t have been surprised, considering Nate had already filled him in on what to expect. Also, it wasn’t exactly the first time his partner had done something like this.

But still, when he saw Mick’s eyes staring blankly as a flame burned his skin, Snart felt his stomach drop. 

He was helpless when Mick was like that. Nothing could tear him away from that fire. Not even Snart.

So, Leonard improvised, deciding that maybe all he needed to do was be reasonable with his partner.

“Mick,” Snart stated evenly, though inside he felt like dying, “can you give me the lighter?” 

Snart’s calm, cool façade was fading as he watched his partner burn his own skin without even a flinch.

Snart’s hands trembled and his breaths quickened as he watched the burn get worse as the seconds turned to a full minute of continuous flames. 

“Can’t do that,” the pyromaniac grumbled in his self-destructive trance.

“Sure ya can,” Leonard fought desperately as he slowly took another step towards Mick.

“ _Can’t_ ,” he insisted as he continued to watch the flames lick at his already scarred flesh.

“I need it, Mick. Jesus, can’t you just let me borrow it for a second?” Snart asked, a little frantically, as he took another step. 

He was so close to the lighter he could probably just snatch it away, stop it from harming his partner any further, but any sudden movement could set Mick off.

“Why do you need it?” Mick asked, seeming slightly more coherent than before.

Snart felt a bit of the tension leak out of his body when he realized that finally, Mick was beginning to come back to him.

“I need it so my husband will stop hurting himself,” Snart responded earnestly as he blinked away the wetness forming in his eyes. 

Obviously, he would deny being on the verge of tears to anyone who dared to call him out on it, but he figured a few tears were warranted.

That was his fucking husband hurting himself like that.

The burn was getting bad, Len could tell, and all he wanted was to end Mick’s suffering and stop him before things went from bad to worse.

The flame burned bright in the darkness, drawing the pyromaniac in as the colors danced before his eyes. 

Mick blinked a few times before flinching away from the fire, as if a spell had been broken, and threw the lighter to the ground.

He slowly turned his arm upwards and grunted disdainfully at the raw, blistering skin. 

“Shit, Lenny, ‘m sorry,” Mick murmured quietly, almost fearfully. 

Leonard had left him, more than once, when he couldn’t control himself. 

Mick didn’t change for anybody; well, anybody but Snart. He’d change for Snart.

He had to. He couldn’t stand the thought of being abandoned by quite possibly the only person he loved. 

Not again.

“No. Don’t say sorry. _I_ should have been here with you,” Snart responded regretfully, “ _I_ should have stopped this. I’m your partner first, a member of this team second.”

“’S not your fault,” Mick argued, finally looking up to see his husband’s deeply concerned and fearful face. 

Clear and distinct panic flooded into Mick’s eyes.

“I won’t do it again,” he continued desperately, “I won’t. Just don’t…” 

Mick trailed off, just about ready to beg for Leonard to stay but thinking better of it. 

Mick was feeling weak and vulnerable after meeting his father; he wasn’t in his right mind. It would really be best for everybody if he just shut his goddamn mouth.

The way Mick saw it, if Snart wanted to leave, he had every right. He shouldn’t have to stick around and take care of his fucked-up partner.

“I’m not leaving you again,” Leonard responded fiercely, “Now let me see.” 

Snart’s heart clenched at the pure relief in his husband’s eyes. 

He’d left Mick all on his own a lot. Far too many times. 

But that wasn’t going to happen again. In good times and in bad, those were the vows he had promised, and he intended to keep that promise.

_For once_ , Snart thought bitterly of himself.

“I’m sorry,” Mick repeated as he turned his arm so his partner could see the damage. 

Mick was pretty sure he’d never apologized so much in his life. In fact, he hated saying sorry, didn’t see the point in it.

But if those simple words stopped his husband from leaving him again, he’d say them a million times.

Snart sighed at the apology before tenderly cupping his partner’s cheek, gently stroking along his cheekbone. 

“It’s okay, baby,” Leonard comforted with a sad, little smile. 

Nate, who had followed Snart in case he needed backup, gaped at the affectionate scene unfolding before him. 

Snart had never struck him as the kind of guy who would use a pet name or a gentle touch, not even with Mick.

“Are you really still here, mouth breather?” Leonard sighed in annoyance.

Nate startled before flushing bright red; Mick snorted a laugh, which Snart considered a major victory. 

“Sorry, gentlemen, I’ll just get going,” Nate responded apologetically. 

“Yeah, you do that, Nathaniel,” Leonard said sharply, grinning up at his husband.

Mick fondly rolled his eyes and nudged Snart’s shoulder with his own.

“He’s a decent guy, you know,” the pyromaniac defended with a laugh, “Give him a break. You nearly scared him to death.”

“He should learn to mind his own business,” Snart replied, eyes narrowed as he watched the historian trail away.

“I think you’re just jealous,” Mick teased with a smirk, “Don’t worry, sweetheart, he may be pretty but you’re still the prettiest.”

Snart frowned, sure to put on a show of annoyance in order to be as dramatic as possible.

“Trust me, I know that little princess ain’t got nothing on me,” he shot back arrogantly.

Mick privately agreed. Still, it was fun giving him a hard time.

It was especially fun when it distracted from the matter at hand, one which Mick would be happy to never discuss again.

However, once Snart was sure Nate had made his embarrassed retreat, he finally examined the burn.

Mick could feel his cheeks burning and his heart beating with reckless abandon in his chest.

_Am I having a heart attack?_ he thought, _Is this what a heart attack feels like?_

“I know it’s bad, but computer lady can fix it,” Mick stuttered anxiously. 

She could—she could make it like the whole thing never even happened. They could pretend together, as long as a new scar didn’t have the chance to form on his skin.

“Relax, Mick. Nothing’s gonna scare me away this time. Okay?” Leonard reassured as he placed a kiss directly above the burn on Mick’s arm. 

The pyromaniac couldn’t believe his luck. Snart wanted to stay? Still?

Even after he burned himself, after he lost control _again_ , his husband wanted to stick around.

He couldn’t understand why. Frankly, he couldn’t even fathom it, but he wasn’t about to push his luck and question it.

“Love you,” Mick murmured quietly, barely able to make eye contact as he said it. 

They didn’t say it often, the words requiring too much emotional vulnerability for the pair, but sometimes they knew that they had to be spoken. Their feelings for each other had to exist outside of their own heads.

“I love you, too,” Snart responded a bit awkwardly, leaning forward to kiss his husband’s temple.

Leonard much preferred physical shows of affection rather than verbal ones, but he did his best for Mick.

Snart knew that Mick needed the validation, and he figured as the man’s husband, he at least owed him a few spoken _I love you_ s every now and again.

“Now what’s going on in that thick head of yours?” Leonard wondered aloud.

He wasn’t sure if Mick would respond to the question positively, if he was even willing to discuss it, but he figured he could at least try to get something out of him.

Mick sighed deeply before leaning on his partner, head falling against his shoulder. Snart caressed the back of his head before urging him, “What is it, Mickey?”

Mick took a breath to center himself before finally mumbling into his husband’s shoulder, “My dad, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

Snart nodded immediately; he understood Mick’s emotions well. Dads fucking suck.

At least, their dads do.

“I’m not gonna make you talk about it,” Leonard agreed sympathetically.

If he were being honest, he was kind of glad Mick wanted to avoid the subject. He knew that he wasn’t the best person to go to when you needed help sorting your feelings.

Besides, any time Mick mentioned his father it just pissed him off. Snart didn’t like thinking about some asshole beating on his husband when he was just a kid.

Mick’s dad may have been dead in 2017, but he wasn’t yet dead during his time in the Vietnam War. Snart could easily go and find the bastard and ice him on the spot.

But if he did, Mick wouldn’t exist, and what kind of a world would that be?

Not one Leonard would be willing to live in, that’s for sure.

He could go beat the shit out of Dick Rory, whose name was too fitting, but he was fairly certain he would then have the shit beat out of him by one Sara Lance.

Can’t go changing the timeline and all that bullshit.

“He had a reason,” Mick finally spoke hesitantly, “Being here, seeing what he saw, he had a reason for hurting us.”

Leonard pretended not to notice the tears rolling down Mick’s cheeks. He’d only be embarrassed if Snart tried to be affectionate and wipe them away. 

Dealing with crying and feelings and grief; none of those things had ever been either of their strong suits.

But Mick had helped him through enough panic attacks triggered by Lewis, that fucking asshole. Snart figured it was time to give back.

“You’ve been through hell, Mick,” Snart reminded quietly as he intertwined their fingers. 

Mick shrugged, somehow unconvinced.

Leonard couldn’t understand why. 

His husband’s whole life had been a series of hellish traumas, yet he thought his dad deserved an excuse for being the very first one in his life to treat him like crap?

Reasons don’t make it right.

Nothing makes beating your kid right.

“Kids aren’t supposed to be beat by their fathers,” Snart reminded gently, “You know that. I know you do.”

Mick shook his head, seeming to understand where Leonard was going with his thoughts.

“This is different from you and Lisa,” he resolutely disagreed, “Your dad was an asshole for no reason. Not like mine.”

Snart sighed, pausing to take a deep breath before looking his husband in the eyes. To his horror, he realized that his partner actually believed the bullshit he was saying.

He actually believed that his father was justified in his behavior.

“Good dads don’t hurt their kids. It ain’t supposed to go down like that,” Leonard debated persistently, “Just because he was over here in the war, that doesn’t excuse the way he hurt you.”

Mick pressed a soft kiss to Snart’s jaw as a silent thank you and sighed. He looked tired and beat down, like he didn’t know what was true anymore.

“Let’s go back to the ship,” Leonard suggested, “Gideon has some work to do.”

“I could use a drink,” Mick agreed as he pulled his sleeve over the fresh burn.

Snart didn’t miss his attempt to hide the new injury, but he didn’t say anything. 

Though Leonard didn’t understand his husband’s obsession with fire, he did understand feeling so desperate for relief that you would hurt yourself just for a moment of respite.

That was not a foreign concept to him, not at all.

So, when they got back to the ship, Snart quietly asked Gideon to watch out for Mick and to warn him if he seemed distressed in any way.

Then, when Sara called for them on the comms asking where the hell they were, he responded shortly.

“Mick’s been injured. I’m in the med bay with him. Handle this yourself.”

The captain understood and didn’t question him, which Snart quietly appreciated.

When the burn was all healed up, Leonard suggested they go to bed early. The day had been long and hard for them both, and they needed a good shelter from the storm.

“Read me something,” Mick grunted as they settled into bed together.

Snart smiled and pressed his lips to his partner’s for a moment before reaching over him for a stack of papers.

Mick settled in by resting his head against Leonard’s chest and closing his eyes.

“Can I read this to you?” Snart asked curiously as he leafed through the pages. He didn’t recognize the story.

“What is it?” Mick wondered as he struggled to open his eyes again.

“I think it’s your book?” Leonard realized in awe.

There were so many pages filled with so many ideas. He was well aware that Mick wasn’t dumb like everyone claimed, but he also had no idea he could be so creative.

“Oh,” Mick murmured tensely, clearly nervous at the thought of his husband reading something so personal to him, scared that he might make fun of all his hard work.

“We don’t have to. But I am intrigued. I didn’t know you were writing a book,” Snart responded with a smile, though it wasn’t a cruel one.

Mick considered his options for a moment but decided he was too tired to ponder them for too long.

“You can read it if you want. It’s probably shit, anyways,” he grumbled before closing his eyes again.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Leonard decided as he caressed the top of his husband’s head, who was clearly so tired he was almost asleep.

Snart began to read aloud, not stopping even after Mick had long since fallen asleep.

He read on well into the morning with a grin.

Mick was an author, a real, genuine author. 

It was astounding and exciting because now Leonard could finally prove to anyone who dare question his husband that Mick was more than his trauma and his pyromania and his past.

They would all finally see what he saw.

Mick was an author. And a superhero. A husband and a friend.

He wasn’t a _thug_ , wasn’t an abandoned, abused kid stuck in the system anymore.

He’d made something of himself.

And now that he had something to say, something he could publish, the world would see it, too. 

The team would see it, too.

Dick Rory used to tell his son that he would never amount to anything. He made him believe that no matter what he did, he could never achieve greatness.

That night, after reading the first draft of his novel, Snart realized that Mick had proven his father wrong, once and for all.


End file.
